


The Ice Czar: Dawn

by chibinecco



Series: The Ice Czar [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Magic, Ensemble Cast, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-11-29 05:03:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11433711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibinecco/pseuds/chibinecco
Summary: A thousand years ago, a great evil ruled the land, until the people rose up and defended themselves. Now, Yuuri is an adventurer trying to make his name in the guild and prove himself. With only a hint to guide him, he manages to cast a very powerful spell, with consequences he could have never guessed. Now, the morning after, with no memory of the night before, he has to start his journey to become the greatest adventurer he can be.





	The Ice Czar: Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> This was SUCH a pleasure to write, working with [nmnk](https://nmnk.tumblr.com/), my artist, for this big bang. I couldn't have done any of this without the BRILLIANT idea she gave me or all of the encouragement she helped me with SO much of this. This was such a wonderful experience. I tried to include as much of the art as I could inline with the text, but there's a few more things at her official art post [here](https://nmnk.tumblr.com/post/162720866660/)!! 8D Thank you again, and I hope you enjoy this first leg of the journey!! ^.^

\--

_Generations ago, before the unification,_   
_Before the wars and the famine,_   
_Before the world was broken and reformed,_   
_This land was ruled by strife._

_The Old One cast the land in shadow;_   
_An ancient power so feared,_   
_None dared speak its name._

_None stood against The Old One or his forces,_   
_Until The Ice Czar wrought the spell destroying the evil_   
_And binding the land with strength and power._

_A master of ice, a champion for what was right,_   
_The Ice Czar was victorious._   
_His words of victory are writ on this statue_   
_In remembrance of The Ice Czar's legacy,_   
_Past and future._

\---

A black cloud curled through the darkness. Broken shards of blue, grey, and white stabbed through the wisps of rusty smoke. They resembled fractured stars, shattered by a void of death. The scent of blood and fresh decay a clinging miasma through Yuuri's nose. Yuuri gagged at the overpowering stench that blanketed his every sense until he could almost see the smell wafting in front of his eyes.

 _Who are you?_ The shapeless mass asked, though it had no voice and spoke no words. Emptiness like a physical presence interrupted only by this sickly, turning mass of mutable darkness.

"I…" Yuuri coughed again, but he couldn't feel his chest move or his body shift with the force. "Katsuki. Katsuki Yuuri."

 _Your courage won't protect you now, Boy._ A chill whipped and lashed around Yuuri, swirling in his mouth and nose and ears, deafening and blinding him to everything but the raw, malevolent power that enveloped him. The glassy shards inside the cloud shuddered and flashed with anger. _This time, you're mine._

\---  
Yuuri awoke coughing around his screams. He nearly tripped twice in his haste to get to the bathroom before falling to his knees and retching nothing. His whole body felt trembling and hollow, as if he'd spent the last few hours fighting the worst illness of his life instead of sleeping, however fitfully.

Once he'd finished spitting into the toilet, Yuuri stood shakily and rinsed his mouth at the sink. The visions of his dream persisted behind his eyes, even as he stared into his own expression. The feeling of powdered ice snaking over his arms and across his shoulders-

Yuuri marched out of his bathroom, tripping again on his way to throw open the shutters of his modest room. The light stabbed painfully behind his eyes, but it was warm and solid and chased away some of the sensations of paralyzing blackness, even if he did still feel a little chilled.

The early spring air ruffled the trees outside his window; through the leaves, Yuuri could see a few pockets of young pledges practicing their katas. The sounds of magic and physical energy crackled up to him. The normal, ambient existence of the world around him was comforting; not the tiny, black cage he'd dreamt of.

"What even was that…." Yuuri murmured to himself. He turned to examine the disarray of his room, peering blearily without the aid of his glasses. The plain, grey sheets were tangled in the center of his small bed; an empty trashcan lay tipped on its side; a discarded pair of pants sat in a rumpled heap by the bathroom door.

Yuuri looked down at himself; he was wearing nothing but a pair of underwear and last night's dress shirt with none of the buttons done up. In fact, upon closer inspection, some of the buttons seemed to be missing entirely. Yuuri stepped hastily away from the window and began tidying up the mess.

Yuuri was just stepping into a loose pair of sweats to go for a short run, try to wake himself up, when there was a light knock at the door. "Who is it?"

"Phichit! Just checking up on you, making sure everything's alright."

Yuuri blinked at the closed door. "Yeah? I'm fine. Bit of a slow start this morning is all." He reached out and opened the door to Phichit's gentle, smiling face. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Phichit didn't answer right away, peering closely at Yuuri's eyes. "You don't remember anything…. Strange? About last night?" Phichit asked.

"No…?" Yuuri said carefully, thinking of his dream, the cloying sensations he still hadn't fully shaken. "Did… something happen? Is Celestino okay?!"

"No, no! I mean yes! Coach Celestino is fine!" Phichit reassured, waving his hands rapidly in front of himself. "They released him from the infirmary this morning, and the limp is mostly gone already. I just… Do you remember going out last night?"

Yuuri sighed, crossing his arms. "Yeah… I remember. We'd finished our mission, barely.-"

"It was a tough mission!" Phichit protested, repeating the arguments he'd already said plenty of times on the trek home and last night. "It was mis-labeled, should have been two four-man teams, not just our three-man team. If you hadn't-"

"I know, I know." Yuuri sighed. He lifted one shoulder, looking away. The door was still open, anyone could hear them, if not for the late hour, most adventurers in this wing were long since up and about. "You keep telling me… But you used up so many components. It's hardly fair that your skills cost you so much more; even with a share for materials-"

"Yuuri-" Phichit interrupted, exasperated. "You're changing the subject again."

Yuuri dug his toes into the carpet with a frown. "Right, right… you're right. We went out to celebrate getting home in one piece. I had a little too much to drink, and you brought me home."

Phichit shifted his weight to one foot and back, visibly waffling at that description. It wasn't _in_ accurate, and they both knew it. "Alright. Well, I'm glad you're okay. I was planning to restock my components this morning; if you're free, I'd like the company? We could go out, see where they're setting up for the festival? Grab some fair food? Yes, yes?" Phichit beamed at him eyes sparkling with an earnest mischief Yuuri couldn't help chuckling at fondly.

Yuuri sighed. "You're impossible."

Phichit just grinned harder.

"Okay, yes. That's probably a better idea than running while dehydrated to wake myself up anyways," he admitted, stripping off his shirt and going to the dresser to pick out a more shopping-appropriate outfit.

Phichit cheered, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

\---

\---

"Let me cover this one," Yuuri said, pulling his own money from the holding-pocket of his bag. His bag only had a couple of holding-pockets for money and first-aid supplies. Phichit's bag was made up almost entirely of holding-pockets for the various spell and poultice components he used every day for his magic and on missions.

"Yuuri, you don't have to do that. I get an extra half-share to cover my components. Just because this mission went a little over budget-- most missions come in under. It's fine, really."

"Please?" Yuuri insisted, turning to face Phichit fully. They were standing inches apart between the open flats of supplies on display. A cluttered array of wares both mystical and mundane on sale in the cramped space of the shop. There were a few other customers perusing the wares, but it was mostly silent as Yuuri waited for Phichit to respond.

Phichit hesitated, looking down at his bag then over at Yuuri's, before finally stepping back to let Yuuri pay for him. "You don't have to do this, but thank you. I appreciate the thought."

Yuuri sagged in relief, smiling at Phichit. "That's the last of it, right?"

Phichit nodded. "Yeah, I still need to replace the phaya naga scales and ratchaphruek blossoms--"

Yuuri winced as he accepted his change, and the two made their way back out of the shop.

"--Yeah, wrong time of year for the ratchaphruek blossoms, I'm gonna have to find someone who has them dried already."

"Could Guang Hong grow some for you, maybe?" They were almost to the edge of the market district, before long, they'd be walking among the empty stalls of the festival grounds. Yuuri flexed his shoulders slightly; he could already feel the built-up magic, even from this distance.

"It's better if they're natural." Phichit shook his head. "But could do in a pinch, at least tide me over so I can go get the naga scales. I have some of each from my back-up stash, of course, but..."

Yuuri nodded, ducking his head. "Yeah, I'm sorry your bag got damaged. I should have seen that guy-"

"Yuuri," Phichit murmured, placing a hand to Yuuri's shoulder to stop their walk, looking at him and waiting until Yuuri met his eyes. "It's not your fault. We got called in to deal with a small bandit troupe, not an ensorceled giant. You couldn't be expected to keep track of both all on your own. Celestino was down; I was busy breaking the enchantment; you managed to incapacitate all but _one_ of the bandits without a _single_ casualty. It's just bad luck that the guy you missed happened to stab _that_ pocket of my bag with a _magic_ dagger. It was a freak accident. And besides, you saw the haul that giant was happy to give us once he was free. It was almost lucky I _did_ end up using so many components, or we wouldn't have been able to carry it all back with us."

Yuuri snorted, glaring exasperatedly at Phichit over the brim of his glasses.

Phichit grinned back unrepentantly. "Hey over there!!" He chirped, pointing behind Yuuri, hardly waiting for him to start turning before grabbing his arm and dragging him along towards the city plaza and the statue that stood proudly in the center.

"Phichit!" Yuuri protested, laughing despite himself. He tugged his arm back, straightening the loose sleeve of his wrap-around shirt as they entered the square proper, a large, open space with cobbled stone and a single, heroic statue in the center atop a stone platform. "Come on, now…"

"Nope. We're getting a picture," Phichit said, pulling out his comm-slate. The glass face lit up as Phichit swiped a finger across it, and he quickly sent a pulse of magic to unlock it.

"You should take better care of that." Yuuri frowned, reaching out to touch a finger against a chip in the green case that covered the back.

Phichit waved off his concerns. "I'll get it repaired. You know I just can't resist taking it with me everywhere," he said, flipping through a few of the more recent pictures. There were photos of his hamsters, the food he'd eaten for breakfast, Celestino giving them a thumbs up from his hospital bed, some landscape shots from the mission they'd just returned from. "Come on, stand next to me, here!"

"Haven't you already taken our picture next to The Ice Czar before?" Yuuri asked, chuckling.

"But not in this outfit!!" Phichit said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world as he gestured to their respective clothes.

There was nothing special with what they were wearing. A simple, black ensemble with blue highlights, a belt of ice circled Yuuri's waist, out of habit more than necessity. Phichit's own outfit was brighter, a white jacket with flowing blue lapels and sleek pants that hugged his thighs. A single, gold brooch in the shape of a magic rune for joy held the sides together across his sternum, but it wasn't like they were dressed for the festival that would begin later that week. Yuuri didn't bother pointing that out, just stepped into the frame next to Phichit and smiled for the slate.

They leaned against the stone cube of the statue base. Above the block, the statue itself stood tall and proud, nearly twelve feet from the bottoms of his carved skates to the tips of his outstretched fingers. The burnished metal of the ancient, bronze statue stood constant in the heavy light of the sun.

"And… there it is. Up on the cloud." Phichit nodded, and Yuuri watched the swirl of magic emitted dissipate quickly. "What color was it this time?" Phichit asked, looking at Yuuri expectantly.

Yuuri blinked up at him, answering automatically, "Blue. A pale-blue, almost clear, like the edge of a pane of glass."

Phichit's grin grew even bigger. "That's so cool, that you can see magic."

"Only sometimes," Yuuri demurred. "If it's a really direct pulse, you know?"

Phichit nodded "I feel it, sometimes. Like a humid day, but I can't see the edges or shape of it like you can."

Yuuri shrugged, trying to coax them back towards the festival preparations. He could smell the fried foods of a few early openers. "It's not that uncommon--"

"It's not that common either," Phichit urged, tugging Yuuri back towards the statue. "Don't you want to pay your respects?" He teased, gesturing to the figure before them.  
Yuuri blushed, looking up at the statue. The Ice Czar. A young man, maybe thirty years of age, stared out across the plaza, forever skating atop his metal dias above his stone cube, one hand pressed to his chest, the other reaching for something unseen. His hair reached just past his ears, parted to one side, not quite obscuring those unseeing eyes. Yuuri admired him, both for what he represented and how he appeared, strong, confident, and indomitable. A faint smile touched the corners of the figure's lips beneath a strong, charismatic nose.

Phichit stood back, watching as Yuuri took a halting step towards the statue, fingers reaching out unconsciously. "He changed the world."  
"You will too," Phichit said, voice quiet, respectful of Yuuri's distraction.

"No I won't. I barely got my A ranking because you and Coach Celestino work so well with me, you pick up after my shortcomings-"

"Yuuri, there's no ' _barely_ ' about your A-rank. You'd be an S-rank if you took the chance-"

"Phichit." Yuuri scowled, turning his face away from where he was tracing the mystic runes carved into the dias The Ice Czar stood on, faded and quiet. "Just… can we not have this conversation now?"

Phichit sighed, but held his hands up in surrender. "Alright, I'm sorry I pushed. This last mission was rough on all of us."

"And I'm sorry I snapped."

"That was hardly snapping," Phichit said, stepping beside Yuuri to lay his hand on the stone block the statue stood on. "But it's okay. We're both sorry."

Yuuri took a half-step towards the front of the statue, towards the engraved plaque that told The Ice Czar's story; but instead, Yuuri turned back to face Phichit beside him. "Yeah, you're right. Come on, let's go get some food. I'm starved."

"Yeah, let's! And we can check out the stage. I heard there was some kind of vandalism last night, but they'd already cleaned it up, so… there's not much left to see."

\---

\---

Yuuri blew across the takoyaki balls he was holding, trying to cool them down as he and Phichit walked along the rope lines separating the raised stage from the open field the audience would be standing in just a few days from now. "What kind of show is it going to be this year, do you know?"

Phichit shook his head, munching his own snack of shaved ice. "Nope. Last I heard, JJ was still trying to get the city to let him do a weapons demonstration."

Yuuri snorted. "If his ego weren't already so big, I'd say they should go for it."

Phichit cackled, throwing his head back in glee. "Yuuri!! I can't _believe_ you!"

Yuuri shrugged, popping a lump of fried dough into his mouth. "He's talented. It'd be an interesting show, even it wouldn't do anything for the mana-exchange part of the festival."

"A lot of people think we don't actually _need_ them anymore."

Yuuri turned to stare at Phichit in abject horror, mouth agape and nearly dropping his food in complete shock. "What?! No. They can't- We need them!"

"I know, I know!" Phichit said quickly, flapping his hands to try to calm his friend.

"I can _feel_ it building up before the festivals. You can too, right?" Yuuri was almost frantic, hands gesturing wildly to the stage and the empty stalls and the general preparations and the world at large all around them. "--I'm not the only one saying this."

"No, of course not. I feel it too, not as strongly as you do, but it's there. Well… I don't feel much of anything right now…" Phichit said, puzzled, staring out at the empty space between the rope stanchions. "Do you?"

Yuuri paused, peering out across the field. A few weak puddles of mud sat drying under the sun, the air still but light with the swell of early spring. "Huh… no, I don't either, now that you mention it… I can feel this is where the ley lines cross, but the buildup of mana is… It feels like the last festival was a few months ago, not a whole year… That's really weird. I wonder what could-"  
"Phichit! Yuuri!!"

They both tipped their heads up, turning to meet the voice. Sara Crispino, with her brother Michele at her side, waved to them from across the quad as she jogged over. "Hey, are you coming to the show tonight?!"

"Yes! Absolutely!" Phichit agreed eagerly, launching into an explanation of their plans and the rumors about what acts were scheduled.

Yuuri continued to peer out across the empty stage. The wood was polished smooth, bright under the midday sun. In the exact center, there was the faintest discoloration in a precise, circular arc. Not from water -- like the puddles in the warm, bright weather -- but worn, ever so faintly.

"Whatcha lookin' at, Yuuri?"

Yuuri blinked, startling at Phichit's hand on his shoulder. "Huh?"

"Something on the stage?"

Yuuri looked from Phichit back to the stage. He couldn't make out the circle any more, but it had been so faint to begin with. "Just… thought I saw something…"

Phichit shrugged. "Sara and I were just talking about how good the weather's been for the festival, not a cloud in the sky. We're thinking about getting new outfits for tonight. Want to come?"

Yuuri shook his head. "You go ahead. I should probably head home and clean up after last night. Meet up at dinner call and head out?"

Beaming, Phichit nodded agreeably. "Sounds good! Safe questing! And just _wait_ until you see our new clothes!"

"You mean the ones you haven't bought yet?" Yuuri laughed, waving as the other trio wandered away. Phichit and Sara chattered happily while Michele hovered along behind. "Safe questing…."

When Yuuri turned back to the stage for one last glance, he startled back a step. There was a face hovering inches in front of him. Unlike Michele, this one hovered literally. "I- What?!" he yelped.

"Oh good! You can see me! I've been trying to get your attention for the last twenty minutes!" The face said.

Yuuri blinked, looking down into the empty space between the head and the ground. "Uh..."

"Sorry, this is the best I could do." Yuuri got the impression the face was flipping its hand exaggeratedly, as if to wave off something unimportant. "That surplus of mana you used yesterday is a bit… used up, but don't worry, the bond is growing fast. See, it's already working!"

Something was indeed happening. The face -- young with animated, blue eyes and a polite grin -- had faded slightly, but a body was starting to form underneath it. Long, silver hair spilled over slim shoulders from underneath a fur cap. A warm doublet fastened tightly about a thin waist, and long, slender legs extended from narrow hips not _quite_ reaching the ground.

"You're tiny," Yuuri said, at something of a loss.

The face, the boy now, laughed, bright and welcoming. "Well, sacrifices had to be made. That won't last too long either, thankfully, but I can still do this." With a gesture, the boy's hand traced a looping shape into the air before pointing three fingers skyward. A spurt of dusty snow showered the space between them.

"Oh… kay?" Yuuri said, eyes growing wider. For each step Yuuri inched backward, the boy floated another forward. "Who… are you?"

The boy stopped, staring back at Yuuri. His smile faded; a polite, professional expression appearing in its place. "Viktor. Nikiforov. You knew my name last night."

"I… think you have the wrong person…" Yuuri said carefully, glancing around. There wasn't anyone immediately nearby, but plenty were close enough they should be able to see the guy, no older than sixteen, hovering almost six inches in mid air casting minor spells. "I'm not… sure you're real. Are you an illusion?"

"If I were, asking me wouldn't give you a particularly useful answer, now. Would it?"

Yuuri nodded, conceding the point. "That's… True. What… Are you?" He asked, giving up on finding a more tactful way to phrase it.

"Human. Like you. You are human, right?" Viktor asked seriously.

"Yeah. I'm human." Yuuri stared; Viktor stared back. "I… think we have a problem."

"I think we do too." Viktor looked to the side, glancing around at the other people milling about the edges of the clearing. No one was paying them any mind, but his expression didn't loosen. "Is there somewhere we can get alone?"

"I… don't think that'd be a good idea," Yuuri said, taking a careful step back.

"No, you're right. I apologize." Viktor held out his hands, actually drifting backward a few inches.

"Let's... start over. What happened last night?"

Viktor turned, gesturing to the dimming puddles around the edges of the stage. Even the ones sheltered by the shadows cast by the raised platform were starting to disappear. "You summoned me, told me how much you admired me and asked me to help you become a better adventurer."

"I… what?!"

"Said it was your dream to be 'S Rank.' I… don't know what that means, but it sounded like you needed to be a better magic user, I promised to help you get stronger if you helped me defeat The Great Evil."

"Not that!" Yuuri balked, "Well… that too, but not only that?" Grabbing at his hair, Yuuri ducked his head and inhaled deeply before looking up. "Okay, I don't… my magic isn't summoning magic, I just… I transmogrify light into ice and… that's it. I… couldn't have summoned you."

"You do _what_?!" It was Viktor's turn to stare into Yuuri's face, dumbstruck.

"Uh…" Yuuri looked to the side, hands slowly coming up between them. "I create an ice field from light using my glasses as a focal point? And then I can use to skate on like The Ice Czar used to? But… I'm not anything as good as him."

"There… must be something wrong with the translating part of the binding spell between us, because I swear you just said you use a single enchanted object to make a sheet of ice large enough to _skate_ on…"

"Oh, no." Yuuri said, shaking his head quickly, and Viktor started to relax. "The glasses aren't enchanted. I just use them to mark out the shape of the light I transmute."

Viktor groaned, burying his face into his hands. "Oh dear god, you just… A few things from last night are starting to make more sense." Looking up again, Viktor pushed his hair back, out of his face and leveled Yuuri with an intense stare. "How do you know about, what did you call it? 'The Ice King?'"

"'Ice Czar,'" Yuuri corrected automatically. "There's a statue, in the city square."

"Take me to it."

\---

\---

Standing before the ancient statue again, Yuuri looked up at the heroic profile before them. Round, broad features, long limbs, it was an inspiration, always had been for Yuuri.

Viktor drifted around to the front of the statue before Yuuri could stop him. The hand he swung out to grab Viktor passed through him harmlessly, barely a shimmer in its wake. Viktor peered into the face of the statue critically, frowning.

"What are you doing?!" Yuuri hissed, looking around at the other people around. There weren't many, but enough. It _was_ a major landmark in a city that was just hours from starting the biggest annual festival in the region. Certainly more people were milling about seeing the sights than had been in the almost empty field Yuuri and Viktor had met in, for the second time, apparently.

"This is terrible. Is this what people think I look like?" Viktor said, flapping a translucent hand at the statue's face and looking down at Yuuri.

Staring back, Yuuri's mouth opened and closed around too many protests for any one to make it out alive.

Viktor looked back to the statue with a shrug, "Well, the body's not bad. Clothes are a bit weird." He kicked through a loop of braided cord across the statue's chest. "But the build is right. Or… will be right." He looked down at himself wryly. "You said it yourself, yeah? I'm a bit tiny for the moment." With that, he looked back at the face and swirled his wrist, a thin sheet of ice twinkling into place between his fingers. "It's not quite what you can do, but I don't think this is half bad, considering?"

Yuuri continued to stare.

"Right, let's see if we can't fix this, shall we?" Viktor grinned, looking back and forth between the ice and the statue. A quick flick of his other wrist and ice shot forth from his fingers, slicing up the side of the statue's face.

"What are you _doing_?!" Yuuri hissed again, louder this time. Shavings of metal drifted down around the statue's feet, and Yuuri watched them go with growing horror. "That's a _national monument_!"

"So you said last night," Viktor agreed, tipping his head to one side and the other, hardly looking as ice continued to leap from his dancing fingertips. "I guess a thousand years is better late than never still, don't you think?" Viktor moved the thin sheet of ice between himself and the statue's face, drifting until their eyes were level, moving it closer and farther from his own face.

Then, it clicked for Yuuri. He looked back and forth between the statue he'd known for years, looked up to since he was just a child, and back to the face of this new, too-young spirit he was somehow _bound_ to -- and that was definitely something they needed to discuss and clear up sooner rather than later -- "It's you. You're The--"

"'Ruler of ice', yes." Viktor nodded, almost all the levity in his voice from before was gone now as he let the ice mirror he'd been using melt from between his fingers.

"'Ice Czar,'" Yuuri finished numbly. They looked almost identical now -- brothers, or a young man beside a photo of his father. The statue was older, almost ten years older, and its hair was shorter; but side by side, the resemblance was uncanny. "I can't- I don't believe it."

"I know, but you're going to have to, because everything that story talks about," Viktor pointed below himself to the ancient plaque with the historic poem. "Is real, and it's happening."

\---

Yuuri fidgeted. Standing before the information desk on the first floor of the adventurer's guild, this all suddenly felt completely different. It didn't help that the normally busy room was all but empty. A single clerk manning the fort while everyone else took off to prepare for and enjoy the week's celebrations.

"Hey, Yuuri," Guang-Hong Ji, a younger member of the guild, beamed pleasantly up from his seat. "You guys just got back, right? Did you need another receipt for your report?"

"No, actually…" Yuuri glanced over at Viktor who nodded encouragingly. "I need to submit a new mission."

"Oh, yeah? You know you can just call it 'time off.' That's what everyone else says it when they file for a basic 'mission' to go visit their family. You've earned it after what you went through besides," Guang-Hong said, already reaching for the C-rank form. "How long're you gonna be gone?"

"No it's…-" Yuuri faltered. "It's an S-rank. Urgent."

Guang-Hong stopped, hand outstretched, pink paper hanging limply from his fingertips. "Yuuri?"

Yuuri's hands fluttered in front of him anxiously as he continued in a rush. "I know it's not the usual protocol. I know I've never asked for something like this before, and I don't…-"

"Only governing officials can file an S-rank mission," Guang-Hong said gently. "I can… write up a proposal for an A-rank for you, but it'll be at least a week before a committee can be assembled to meet with you-"

"I know." Yuuri huffed, frustrated. "I-- can you put up a B-rank mission and say in the description that it's-- No, of course you can't, that'd be so reckless. Sorry just-"

"We can't wait a week, Yuuri," Viktor murmured from behind Yuuri.

"I know." Yuuri said quietly over his shoulder.

The silence stretched through the room, sticky and uncomfortable. Yuuri stared at the long, creeping shadows arching out from under his feet. "Put in the proposal. I'll… figure something out."

"Are you in danger, Yuuri?" Guang-Hong asked quickly, standing up before Yuuri could turn away. "If… someone threatened you, you know we can assign a team to guard you right away. You'd just have to stay in the guild where it's safest."

"No, it's… nothing like that. Sorry to bother you." Yuuri bowed his head respectfully, turning and walking back out of the room. "Safe questing."

Viktor lingered, watching the younger man behind the desk curiously. Guang-Hong was pulling out a stack of C-rank sheets, a look of resolution on his face, when Viktor finally turned away. His legs were already starting to fade as he hurried through walls and doors to rejoin Yuuri who was pacing back and forth outside. They resolidified as soon as Yuuri came into view. "You alright?"

"Hm? Oh, fine." Yuuri waved it off, looking out across the practice grounds, and cringed.

"What is it?" Viktor turned to see what Yuuri was looking at. A handful of younger groups were playing a variety of informal games with magic; a crackling ball of electricity raced after victims who yelled and cheered; another trio were throwing water and wind at each other, trying to knock their opponents over. A last group huddled around a pair of armed fighters, lunging back and forth in a violent dance of swords and shields, in time to the clapping beat of the audience. Between the various groups, there were thirty, almost forty people in the large, open area before the guild headquarters.

"This… isn't going to be pleasant." With a heavy sigh, Yuuri marched determinedly towards the group around the fighting dancers who were rapidly picking up speed, spinning around each other in crashes and snarls. Yuuri made his way to the group; as people saw him, they stepped back, nudging each other until there was a clear path to the center.

With the disruption to the chanting chorus of the watchers, it wasn't long before the two fighters in the center came to a stop, looking over to see what the interruption was.

The taller, more muscular -- also shirtless -- man beamed, arms opening to welcome Yuuri to the group. "Well, well, if it isn't our very own Katsuki!" He shouted.

Anyone who hadn't noticed the fighting had stopped was now looking their way.

"It's so very good to see you in one piece! To what do we owe this most pleasant surprise?!"

Yuuri rolled his eyes. "Actually, Jean-"

"JJ! Please, we're all friends here!" JJ interrupted.

"JJ…" Yuuri conceded. "I have a favor to ask of you.-"

"Certainly!"

Yuuri blinked, looking up at JJ in evident surprise.

"On one condition."

"Ah," he sighed, shaking his head. "And what would that be?"

"Oh, nothing much -- I don't think -- for someone such as yourself…" JJ grinned, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps….. A rematch!" He pointed a finger straight up as if coming to a revelation. "You promised me one before you left. What do you say?"

Yuuri cringed, looking around at the growing assortment of spectators that were already murmuring excitedly amongst themselves. "I really don't….."

JJ was already handing over his axe and shield to one of the people along the side, accepting a pair of swords from someone else. "Come now! Just a friendly competition. First to mark the other wins?" He suggested, voice brightly jovial as he leaned into his knees, shifting his weight from side to side and giving each sword a testing swing from the wrist, assessing them.

Yuuri sighed, glancing over to Viktor who just looked back expectantly. "Alright," He agreed, to much cheering and applause from the bystanders, already stepping farther back to make room.

"Excellent! Do you need Isabella to conjure blades for you?" He asked, holding his swords out to a thing, black-haired woman who stepped forward already casting on JJ's own blades.

"No, I've got it." Yuuri sighed, setting aside his bag and dragging his hands up over his arms, across his shoulders and down his front, as if putting on a heavy jacket. He did the motion again, and once more, a thin shell of glowing, yellow light slowly appearing across his chest. "You're going to need a shirt though," He observed, pulling his glasses off and fiddling with them, waiting patiently.

"So I will!" JJ agreed, looking around hastily until someone just pulled their own shirt off and handed it to him.

Yuuri rolled his eyes, twirling his glasses around his finger, faster and faster until, with a single word, he launched them into the air.

A heavy weight of magic poured from the lenses and onto the ground with a mute thud. A chill already rising from the fresh sheet of ice, smooth as glass. The glasses were nowhere to be seen, teleported safely into the core of Yuuri's bag.

Viktor tilted his head curiously, floating higher over the crowd. "Better view up here," he said to Yuuri, who ignored him.

With another word, and a gesture down each calf as Yuuri stepped onto the ice, thin, honed skate blades grew from the soles of his feet. Glittering and sharp with the icy chill they were conjured from.  
JJ's new shirt fit tightly around his chest and shoulders, pants the same form-fitting stretch as he stepped confidently onto the ice. Yuuri's own outfit was loose and free-flowing under the translucent-gold shell of magical armor on his shoulders as he glided into place.

"You ready?" JJ gave a smirking wave to Yuuri before expanding it out to the crowd.

"As I'll ever be," Yuuri muttered and the crowd began their stamping chorus again, beat picking up as Yuuri drifted gentle circles around JJ who crouched low, eyes trained on Yuuri.

"Hey, wait! He's not-"

"Not now!" Yuuri snapped, shooting Viktor an angry look as he leapt towards JJ, then spun gracefully away from the long, swinging arch of a sword.

"What isn't now?" JJ laughed, lunging forward. Yuuri kicked up against the ice, dancing away.

"Wasn't talking to you." Yuuri rolled his eyes, skates scraping against the ice as he picked up speed, looping around behind JJ and hopping away from another jab.

"Who _are_ you talking to then?" JJ asked, voice incredulous.

Yuuri took the opening, folding himself into JJ's space, but the other man sidestepped, sliding against the ice before Yuuri could land a blow.

JJ countered, swinging both blades across from bottom to top. Yuuri pushed off the ice with his calves, soaring over the line of steel and kicking out against the follow-swing. The metallic clash was loud over the noise of the crowd.

With intense focus, Yuuri began a muttering chant, never taking his eyes off his opponent. Arms swinging and thrusting through the air, Yuuri skated harder against the ice, but his speed didn't change, the ice itself responding to his motions, rippling and spinning under their feet.

JJ turned in a precise circle, following Yuuri just as raptly. "The same trick won't work twice on me, Katsuki!"

Yuuri snorted, pulling his arms in tight and jumping into the air. The moment his feet struck the ground again, the spinning sheet of ice stopped abruptly and JJ fell to his knees with a shout.

Yuuri angled straight for him, skating faster and faster. He turned, kicking out blade-first with one skate at JJ's shoulder.

Inches apart, JJ dropped to the ground and Yuuri leapt over him just ahead of the swing of his sword blade.

"Watch out!" Viktor yelped, too late. Yuuri was already skating away backwards, throwing an exasperated glance Viktor's way before returning his focus to where JJ was clamoring to his feet, defenses closed once more.

"What're you looking at?" JJ asked, glancing up into the empty sky. "Going to put the sun at your back?" he laughed. "Even novices know how to deal with that."

"He _is_ a chatty one, isn't he?" Viktor said, crossing his arms and leaning back against an invisible barrier.

Yuuri ignored both of them, murmuring a new spell, building speed into a series of jumps, spraying snow into the air with every rotation. Soon, a small blizzard of ice hung in the air masking everything in a thick layer of chilling frost.

"A smoke screen? Really?!" JJ scoffed, following Yuuri with his eyes despite the hindrance. "This might work at night in a forest, but midday in an open field?" Lifting his swords up, JJ charged, beginning a merciless assault, pressing Yuuri back with dancing spins and deflections until he was driven, panting and fatigued, to the edge of the ring, well outside the range of snow he'd kicked up. "Game over."

"Not yet." Diving under JJ's final lunge, Yuuri rolled awkwardly to his feet, not bothering to look behind him as he skated across the make-shift arena, fast as he could through the cold whiteness. When he finally turned back at the other end, JJ was already racing after him, growling in frustration. Yuuri began to spin, gaining speed, faster and faster against JJ's approaching charge.

JJ broke through the screen of snow the same moment Yuuri leapt into the air, kicking one last time towards his opponent with each foot in turn. A pair of ice shards lifted off the ice with his skates, soaring towards JJ. The first deflected away, the second sliced across JJ's neck, catching at the collar of his shirt.

The tearing fabric was inaudible under the noise of the crowd's cheering, but the ripped seam opening across JJ's chest was impossible to miss.

"Argh! Again!" JJ yelled, throwing his hands into the air "You, Yuuri." JJ aimed a sword pointedly at Yuuri. "Are a menace on those skates."

Shrugging, Yuuri panted as he looked up to Viktor who was practically pulling his hair out with both hands in midair. Yuuri couldn't help it, he laughed at the ridiculous sight.

\---

Yuuri mopped at his face with a borrowed towel as he waited for JJ to return from changing his shirt, again.

"You fight well," Viktor said, hovering by Yuuri's shoulder.

Glancing over, Yuuri shrugged. "I had an advantage. JJ's better than me with weapons, it's only because he's magic-null that I can use whatever spells I want. I don't have to worry about hurting him. He has to be careful not to injure me too badly. It's--"

"No," Viktor interrupted, hand up and frowning. "I watched that fight, same as you. That wasn't a man holding back, Yuuri. You're a _good_ fighter."

"I know the arena better than him. I--"

"Yuuri." Viktor sighed, drifting in front of Yuuri, staring him down. "You are strong. No one else cast my spell. No one else can see me-- and that's not just the bond. You _transmute_ light into ice, cast yet _more_ spells while you fight and then dispel _all_ of it when you're finished--"

"It'd be bad for the plants if I didn't!"

Viktor just stared at him. "You are unreal," he breathed.

Yuuri opened his mouth to protest, but the door beside them slammed open, JJ throwing his arms up in greeting.

"Yuuri! That was an excellent bout! We really must do that more often. So, what was it you wished to ask me?"

Yuuri huffed, glaring quickly at Viktor before turning to face JJ, "This… is going to sound insane, but I swear, I'm telling the truth."

JJ frowned, planting his hands on his hips. "You aren't normally one for dramatics. Tell me, what's on your mind."

"You know the old poem, 'The Ice Czar?'"

"You do love that story," JJ agreed, smile returning.

"I…" He risked a glance at Viktor who urged him on. "Have reason to believe The Old One is returning."

JJ's eyebrows flew up, reeling back. "That's… not a statement to be made lightly."

"I know, but I'm telling the truth!"

"I believe that _you_ believe you are, Yuuri," JJ said, placating. "That much is clear. But… why tell me?"

"You're an S-rank fighter. You can talk to the board-!"

JJ held up a hand, forestalling Yuuri's rambling. "Okay, okay. You're right, just…" JJ sighed heavily, raking a hand through his hair. "A lot of people think that story is just that… a story. Besides, doesn't The Old One die at the end of it?"

Yuuri shook his head and paused, grimacing. "Well, yes, but it's wrong. He's coming back, and soon."

"Yuuri…" JJ said patiently, "The story is either true or false. It can't be both."

Yuuri huffed in frustration. "Well, it _is_! And if we don't do something-"

"I understand, Yuuri…" JJ said patiently, nodding over Yuuri's shoulder.

Yuuri turned back to see Isabella standing unobtrusively to one side. "You don't believe me."

"I believe that you believe what you're saying," JJ repeated. "But I'm just trying to be realistic. This is what the board is going to say. I'll do what I can to get a scout team set up to investigate but… your only lead is... generations old," JJ pointed out with no small amount of wryness

Yuuri stared down at his feet in frustration, blinking away angry tears.

"I'm sorry, Yuuri." JJ's hand reached out, squeezing Yuuri's shoulder before the other man threw it off. "Okay. You're a good fighter, and a good adventurer. Safe questing to you."

"Safe questing," Yuuri sighed, stepping aside, so JJ could pass.

The other man paused, looking back at Yuuri hesitantly. He opened his mouth, but didn't say anything further before walking away, taking their audience -- such as it was -- with him.

After a moment of silence, Yuuri breathing heavily but quietly to himself, Viktor spoke softly, "Is it always like this?"

"Is what always like this?" Yuuri spat, voice wavering but strong.

"Nothing." Viktor shook his head. "Just… you're trying to help them."

"Viktor… how would people respond in your time if someone came up to you and said, 'If you don't drop everything right now, in the next six months you'll all be dead.' Because that's basically what we're doing."

"I'd believe you--"

"But that's just _it_ , Viktor!" Yuuri interrupted, voice crisp and angry. "It was already _true_ for you. Here, now… If something big were going to happen, there would be signs of it. You knew there was something out there. Right now, the only 'signs' anything is wrong are an invisible ghost from the past and a run of the mill adventurer saying he ' _knows_ ' something's going to happen. I wouldn't believe me either!" Yuuri shouted.

Viktor startled, staring at Yuuri until the other man shook his head, turning to walk out of the hall and back towards the training fields. "It doesn't matter. The guild can't waste resources on this, they shouldn't have to anyways. Let's go."

\---

The sun was dipping towards the horizon as Yuuri and Viktor made their way back to the festival grounds where they'd met. Where during the day, the place had been all but deserted, it was now packed with people, laughing and talking and celebrating the holiday. More than a few conversations they passed were eagerly discussing what sort of performances they expected tonight and throughout the week.

"Where are we going?" Viktor asked, floating unnecessarily around another festival goer walking the opposite direction.

"Need to talk to someone," Yuuri muttered, offering no further explanation.

Viktor huffed but followed silently. Yuuri strode mechanically through the crowd, silent and distant. Viktor frowned.

Eventually, they came to the outskirts of a small gathering of people listening avidly to a single, animated speaker.

The moment Yuuri caught Phichit's gaze, the other man immediately lit up, barely making excuses before bounding over to see him. "Yuuri! So glad you made it! But you didn't dress up." He pouted.

"Oh," Yuuri glanced down at himself. "I forgot. Listen, Phichit…."

Phichit tilted his head, waiting silently. When Yuuri didn't continue, he prompted quietly, "Yeah? What's up?"

Yuuri bit his lip. "Something's come up. I won't be seeing the festival with you guys this week."

"What?!" Viktor and Phichit shouted at Yuuri. Phichit continued, "But this is your favorite-" He grabbed Yuuri's arm, gently leading him around a corner, until they were at least not directly in front of the herd of well-meaning busy-bodies. "What's happened?"

"I… can't talk about it." Yuuri shook his head. "It's complicated."

"How can I help?"

"It's too dangerous."

Phichit's brows fled up at that and he blinked slowly. "That's never stopped you from helping me."

Yuuri laughed, broken and humorless. "This isn't just a supply run it's…. I have to go. If I don't…"

Phichit's eyes widened in alarm as he grabbed onto Yuuri with both hands. "Yuuri- Don't… don't say things like that. Whatever it is, we'll work it out. I promise. That's what we do."

Flinging his arms around Phichit's shoulders, Yuuri held on tightly. "I'll… do my best."

"You always do," Phichit swore, holding on just as tightly. His voice was tight and fragile when he asked, "When do you leave?"

"Soon as I can? I think the trains are running until midnight with the celebrations so--"

"No!" Phichit hissed, pulling back to look into Yuuri's eyes, his face was strained with emotion. Yuuri stared back, startled at the vehemence in Phichit's voice. "Not tonight. You've had a long day. Get some sleep, leave first thing in the morning."

"Phichit…" Yuuri whispered.

"Promise me!" Phichit insisted with a shake of Yuuri's shoulders. "Promise me you'll get a good night's sleep, like you do before every mission. Promise you'll take care of yourself."

"I… I promise." Yuuri nodded, bewildered.

Phichit stared into Yuuri's eyes, searching for something. Whatever he was looking for, he found it, nodding decisively. "Okay. Go. Back to your room, sleep well, and come back after. You aren't allowed not to. You still have to help me get more naga scales."

Yuuri chuckled a little wetly, wiping at his eyes. "Yeah… okay. I promise. I'll try my best."

"Good. Because your best is _the_ best." Phichit beamed, pulling Yuuri in for one last hug.

"I don't want you to get hurt…." Yuuri murmured into Phichit's shoulder.

"I don't want you to get hurt either." Phichit sighed, pulling away after an age and still much too soon. "Until we see each other again."

"Until we see each other again," Yuuri agreed with a nod. "Safe questing."

Phichit bit his lip, looking away and back as Yuuri turned, leading Viktor down their small side-street and through the winding back-roads to the guild and Yuuri's room.

The whole trek, Yuuri didn't say a word, and Viktor allowed Yuuri his silence, watching curiously.

\---

The scent of ground iron rose through Yuuri's awareness first. Dark, metallic. He coughed to dispel the sensation, but it swirled through his head, around his nose and into his eyes. Yuuri blinked, shaking himself awake, looking around to take in his surroundings.

Nothing greeted him. A dark, infinite void of blackness. No stars, no trees, no birds or insects, no ground to stand on. The absence of existence. The cloud of insistent darkness pressed closer from behind, and Yuuri spun to meet it.

It pulsed darkly at him. _You're back._

"I haven't left yet," Yuuri said, trying to back away from the looming cloud and its angry shards of grey, blue, icy coldness.

 _You did. And so has he._ The still wind snarled around Yuuri's hair, an oppressive, slushy cloak wrapping around him, burying him.

"Who he? Who's left?" Yuuri turned his face away, huffing and fighting to keep breathing as his lungs filled with dust and snow.

 _The one who claims dominion of winter lies!_ A flurry of ice swelled out from the crystals, pushing and shoving, ripping Yuuri from his bonds and hurling him through space.

\--

Crashing back into reality, Yuuri yelled as he clamored out of his bed and fell to the floor in a graceless heap.

"What?! What happened? Who's there?" Viktor yelped, head popping up from the floor between Yuuri's knees.

Yuuri nearly screamed as he fell over his own feet trying to get away. When Viktor didn't move, and Yuuri gasped, trying and failing to catch his breath. He burst into tearful, broken laughter, hunched over himself. "God… Why couldn't it _all_ have been a dream?!" He asked, hopelessly.

Viktor drifted up through the floor, folding his legs so he at least appeared to be sitting normally beside Yuuri. "I've asked myself that… so many times."

Yuuri breathed a shaky, wet sound in through his nose and out through his mouth. "I think your bond gave me nightmares."

"It… shouldn't have." Viktor said, fiddling awkwardly with his own toe, avoiding Yuuri's gaze. "But… new spells are always a bit--"

"Volatile," Yuuri finished for him, laughing. "Guess some things never change."

Viktor shrugged. "You make do, and you know what to plan for the next time you cast it, what to change, how to fix it, make it better."

Yuuri nodded. "Assuming you get the chance to cast it twice, at least."

Surprised laughter burst from Viktor's chest, bright and amused. "Well put."

The two sat quietly, side by side in the darkness as Yuuri's breaths stuttered and leveled out. "Thank you."

"What for?" Viktor asked, tilting his head.

"Staying?" Yuuri shrugged, staring at Viktor's foot and the strange, foreign slipper that covered it. "Knowing what to do when everything's crazy, and no one believes us? Believes me, really. They can't even see you," He huffed gesturing to Viktor's still slightly see-through body.

Viktor stared back silently, tapping his chin in thought. "We'll see."

Yuuri blinked, looking up at Viktor in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"It's not important," Viktor said, waving Yuuri's concerns away and climbing to his feet. "Come on. The sun's already rising, surely your trains are running by now. Time's wasting!"

Yuuri groaned, flopping onto his back and covering his face with both hands. Helpless laughter burst from behind his palms. "How are you so _cheerful_ so early. You're worse than Phichit."

"Practice!" Viktor chirped, clapping his hands encouragingly. "Up, up."

\--

The sun was barely cresting the horizon by the time Yuuri walked out the door of the guild. He stopped to look back, Viktor pausing a few steps ahead to watch. "Do you think we'll ever see it again?"

"It won't be here to be seen again if we don't try," He said baldly.

Yuuri flinched. "You're right… I know you are. I just-"

"Sometimes you need to hear it to believe it." Viktor nodded, stepping closer to Yuuri, the grit under his feet didn't move. "I understand, and I promise to be here, to remind you of your goals-- our goals, as often as you need to hear them."

Yuuri nodded. "Thank you. Again." Yuuri said, with a wry tip of his own head.

Viktor grinned back at him and nodded. "Shall we go?"

"Let's go," Yuuri agreed, turning back one final time to murmur, "Safe questing" to the silent building and the empty training areas surrounding it. Viktor didn't say anything, just lead the way forward.

It was a quiet walk to the train station in the early morning. The city around them slowly stirring, people getting a start on the festivities that would be building over the week. Revelry and cheer filled the air, but it felt false and stale to their two-man team as they made their way through the streets. These first steps of their long journey already felt so heavy.

As they approached the cluster of buildings that was the train station and related shipping warehouses, Yuuri blinked taking note of the growing din, the closer they got. "What's going on?" He asked no one in particular.

"You'll see," Viktor answered, tossing a cheeky grin over his shoulder and picking up his pace.

"Hey-- wait!" Yuuri huffed, jogging to catch up with his wayward spirit. They turned the final corner -- Viktor standing proudly to the side, gesturing for Yuuri to look -- and Yuuri gasped at the sight.

Dozens of people were littered about the platform, adventurers. Not a single one lacking a bag. Some Yuuri recognized from the day before, others he couldn't remember ever having seen before. Each of them nodded and waved as Yuuri climbed the steps to the platform, stunned into silence.

One particularly exuberant adventurer bounded forward and held out his hand. "Yuuri!!"

Yuuri blinked at the hand, eyes widening. "I… uh?.." He took the hand cautiously and was nearly shaken off his feet with the force of the young man's greeting.

"My name is Kenjirou Minami! It's such an _honor_ to finally be going on a mission with you, Sir!" He said, catching the attention of several bystanders.

"I… mission? Sir?..." Yuuri asked, looking around, utterly baffled.

Viktor covered a chuckle with one hand, shrugging amiably. "Don't look at me; they're your friends."

Yuuri's brows just knit together further. "I don't understand…"

Finally, a familiar face stepped up through the various people. Phichit clapped a hand to Yuuri's shoulder and grinned at him. "Yuuri! So good of you to join us." Yuuri just stared, so Phichit continued unfazed.

"It… is?"

"Yep!" Phichit nodded happily.

"But… what?" Yuuri asked, looking around at the assembled group, now all listening to the two of them.

"You didn't think we'd let you go alone and have all the glory, did you, Katsuki?!" JJ chirped from the back, Yuuri startled at his sudden outburst. "After our talk yesterday, I gave it some thought, even conferenced with a few of our fellow guild members for a second opinion, and we have decided _against_ petitioning the board on your behalf."

"You… have…"

"We have." JJ nodded succinctly. "Instead, we have decided to go with you."

"Uh.."

"It's a good thing you saw Guang-Hong before you saw me, he had plenty of C-Rank official-leave missions already written up made it very simple to just fill in our names and we were all good to go!" He beamed.

"I…" Yuuri swallowed around the tight lump in his throat.

Phichit pulled Yuuri into a hug, burying their faces into each other's necks. "We're ready to go whenever you are. Just say the word and we'll all load up and head out."

"Thank you…" Yuuri breathed into Phichit's shoulder, grateful for the support and the modicum of privacy to be overwhelmed, if just for a moment.

When Yuuri pulled back, his eyes were wet, but his cheeks were dry. He breathed deep, looking out at all the people gathered around him and nodded his head. "Alright, everyone. Let's head out! We've got a mission to complete!"

A cheer rose up around them. Whatever else happened on this mission, Yuuri wouldn't be doing it alone after all.

_tbc_

\---


End file.
